The present invention generally relates to fluid filtering, and more particularly relates to a method and apparatus for removing contaminants from a container having petroleum-based fluids therein, through a process of circulating, heating and filtering such fluids outside of the container.
In the past, automotive engineers and technicians have been among the many people to recognize the need for an ability to flush contaminants from fluid-containing enclosures or systems. One example of such a fluid-containing system is a transmission/transmission cooler system in which transmission fluid therein is normally cooled during operation of a vehicle by passing the transmission fluid through the transmission cooler. Such systems frequently contain tiny metal shavings resulting from wear of internal parts. It is desirable to provide an effective way to remove such metal shavings and other contaminants from the system without the need for completely dismantling the transmission and cooling system.
Systems for extracting transmission fluid from the system, then heating it and circulating this fluid through an external filter to thereby flush out contaminants from the transmission and cooling system, have enjoyed considerable success in the past. However, these systems have had several drawbacks. Examples of such a system are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,213,133 and 6,379,540 issued to Dan Reicks. These systems can often take an extended period of time to maximize the removal of contaminants and sediment. This limits the usefulness of such systems, especially for use on vehicles which are generally in revenue-generating service. Finally, these systems have often required considerable attention by a trained operator during performance of the flushing operations.
Consequently, there exists a need for improved methods and apparatuses for flushing contaminants from a fluid container.